Prime Minister António Costa announced this Wednesday that the Council of Ministers, to be held on Thursday in Aveiro, will approve a new research career charter.
“Tomorrow, in the Council of Ministers, we will approve a new research career status for trade union negotiations and negotiations with the institutions of the scientific system, which must enter into force before the end of this transitional period so that there is no gap,” Antonio said. Costa.
The prime minister was answering reporters in Aveiro, where he encountered a demonstration of about 50 researchers who complained about the government’s lack of response to streamlining the obligations of these professionals.
Upon arrival at the University of Aveiro, where he participated in the opening of the Science Meeting 2023 conference, Costa was approached by two demonstrators who handed him a letter of demand and spoke with the prime minister for about five minutes.
After listening to the reasons for the protest, the head of government explained that the Council of Ministers, which will be held on Thursday in Aveiro, will be devoted exclusively to the topic of science and at that time the discussion of a new career will begin. draft research charter.
“Within this framework, we will deal with this issue and we are doing it now, so that when the current diploma ceases to be valid, we already have a new regime,” he added.
About 50 researchers protested this Wednesday in Aveiro, where the Science Meeting 2023 is taking place in the presence of the Prime Minister, against the lack of response from the government regarding the streamlining of the links of these professionals.
The protest action, organized by the National Federation of Teachers (Fenprof) together with organizations and groups of researchers from all over the country, took place near the rectorate of the University of Aveiro (UA).
“More tenders, we can’t take it anymore. We want what other professionals want” or “Government is listening, science is fighting” – these are some of the slogans that sounded on the site.
The posters read: “We want perfection, treat us decently” or “Unreliability kills science.”
Speaking to Lusa, Fenprof’s Miguel Viegas explained that the purpose of this action is to announce that researchers who have had insecure connections for several years are integrating into a career.
“Many of them are hired on a project and when the project ends they don’t know what their future is. Many of them were hired for six years, which are coming to an end, and they cannot be doomed to another cycle of instability.” , the union leader said.
The protesters are demanding “mechanisms” to transfer funds to universities so they can integrate researchers into their careers and give them a “stable contract”.
According to Miguel Viegas, about 4,000 researchers across the country are in a difficult situation, which corresponds to about 90% of these specialists.
The 2023 Science Meeting, organized by the Foundation for Science and Technology in collaboration with Ciência Viva and the University of Aveiro, will take place for the first time outside of Lisbon from 5 to 7 July with the theme “Science. and the ocean beyond the horizon.
In addition to António Costa, the meeting, which brings together experts and researchers from various scientific fields, will also be attended by the Ministers of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Environment and Climate Change, Economy and the Sea, Agriculture and Food. closed by the President of the Republic.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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